Elana Naftalin-Kelman

Innovator: Elana Naftalin-Kelman ContactBased In: Berkeley, CAVenture: Rosh Pina offers a way for organizations and institutions to meet the requirements of their special needs populations by leading them on a year-long journey to create meaningful, enduring change, producing a truly inclusive community.
Venture’s Primary Areas of Focus: Educational Experience, Social Change and Equality
Venture’s Primary Populations Served: Children and Young Families, Teens, Emerging and Young Adults, AdultsElana Naftalin-Kelman has been working at the intersection of special education and Jewish education for over 15 years. She directs the Tikvah program for kids with special needs at Camp Ramah in California, which includes a camper program, a vocational program for young adults, and a camp for families that have children with special needs. Elana has consulted with multiple Jewish institutions to aid them in thinking about how to be more inclusive of Jews of all abilities. She has taught professional development courses in differentiated instruction, behavior management, and teaching Hebrew. She was the co-founder of Edah, a Jewish after school program in Berkeley, California, where she also lives with her husband and three boys, Yair, Nevo and Etai.